1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical seat apparatus, and more particularly, to a mechanical seat apparatus designed to simulate motion for a person viewing a video or other program.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, movement simulators have become popular in which a viewer seated in a specially designed seat is shown a video or other program. The seat is designed to tilt or otherwise move in conjunction with the program to simulate motion shown in the program. Common applications for such simulators have been as flight simulators, video game simulators, and dark show simulators where an audience seated in a number of adjacent simulators is shown a common video or program.
In the field of simulators, it has always been a goal to realistically simulate motion. Past simulator designs have therefore attempted to provide as many degrees of freedom of movement as possible. Unfortunately, the number of degrees of freedom imparted to each seat has always been limited due to inadequate designs as well as a number of disadvantages associated with the use of hydraulic actuation cylinders.
Past simulator designs have typically included a separate hydraulic cylinder for imparting and controlling movement in each desired direction, with a separate set of hydraulics provided for each seat. As a consequence, as the number of degrees of freedom has increased, so too has the number of hydraulic cylinders and the magnitude of the associated disadvantages. For example, with added hydraulics, levels of generated noise and heat rise significantly during actuation of the hydraulic cylinders, detracting from the enjoyment of the viewer. These disadvantages are magnified in the case of multiple simulators located in close proximity, such as in dark shows. In addition, as the number of hydraulic cylinders increases, additional costs of manufacture and maintenance are incurred. Moreover, additional space must be provided below and adjacent to each seat to house the hydraulic cylinders, constraining the number of seats that can be installed in a dark show auditorium.
As a result of these and other disadvantages, past seat designs have operated with only a small number of hydraulic cylinders and associated degrees of freedom, resulting in less than ideal simulated motion.
Past simulators have also been disadvantageous from a personal injury standpoint. When separate hydraulics are used, adjacent seats may independently tilt or otherwise move towards one another during a power failure, resulting in viewers being "pinched" between seats. Moreover, even with single seat designs, seats may lurch forward or to the side during power failure, leading to injury.
In order to minimize the number of hydraulics and the disadvantages associated therewith, a second known approach has provided common hydraulics for controlling the movement of more than one seat. One such known design includes a common platform located above ground level on which two adjacent seats in the same row are mounted. Motion such as tilting is imparted to the platform via common hydraulics located at a point on the platform approximately midway between the two seats. Although this design reduces the number of hydraulic cylinders required for movement of the seats as compared to the independent approach, the design is disadvantageous because viewers seated in the seats are not exposed to "true" motion, particularly because the center of movement of the platform is located at a point distant from each seat rather than immediately below each seat. In addition, while the likelihood of personal injury is reduced with respect to seats located on the same platform, seats located on adjacent but independently controlled platforms may still tilt towards one another and "pinch" viewers. Furthermore, lurching may still occur during power failure, leading to injury.